Word games seem to be the theme of the week. The App Store was recently graced with a couple of interesting games that feature spelling as the main function. Being the wordsmith that I am, I’ve always had an affinity for the genre.

Letter Hero is a simple word game where all you have to do is tap a few letters to create words within a specified period of time. Add the random element of power ups and word bombs to turn a simple game into a crazy caper…

The game consists of a group of side-scrolling letters that you can pick from by tapping them. As you spell out a word, you can remove letters you’ve already picked by swiping upward on the screen. When I’m playing word games, I always choose letters that I think I can turn into something else, only to be thwarted by the wrong set of letters, which could actually make another word. Changing your mind is as easy as a swipe in this game.

If tapping and swiping sounds too easy, why not add the random element of power ups and obstacles? The game includes some mystery bubbles as well. Tap one and you might slow down time or get a free letter. You might also destroy your complex word or turn the letters upside down. You never know what will happen, which makes the game more interesting.

Building words may sound easy, even with the random element of mysterious power ups, but you’ll also be playing against the clock. Getting as many high-scoring words in within the two-minute time frame is a lot harder than you’d think.

This game is advertisement-supported. However, for $1.99, players can remove the ads and unlock the Wordlist. Interestingly, if you manage to score 200 points, the Wordlist is unlocked for free. If you manage to score 350 points, the advertisements go away forever. So essentially, you can get a two-dollar game for free if you are a good speller. Who ever said school was for chumps? Just so you know, I had trouble just reaching 100 points. I don’t know how I’ll ever make it to 350.

The game will eventually support multiplayer and challenge modes in a future update.

Letter Hero is available for free. Download it in the App Store today.